Four-Week Repeated Intravenous Dose Toxicity and Toxicokinetic Study of TS-DP2, a Novel Human Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor in Rats

TS-DP2 is a recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) manufactured by TS Corporation. We conducted a four-week study of TS-DP2 (test article) in repeated intravenous doses in male and female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Lenograstim was used as a reference article and was administered intravenously at a dose of $1000{\mu}g/kg/day$. Rats received TS-DP2 intravenously at doses of 250, 500, and $1000{\mu}g/kg/day$ once daily for 4 weeks, and evaluated following a 2-week recovery period. Edema in the hind limbs and loss of mean body weight and body weight gain were observed in both the highest dose group of TS-DP2 and the lenograstim group in male rats. Fibro-osseous lesions were observed in the lenograstim group in both sexes, and at all groups of TS-DP2 in males, and at doses of TS-DP2 $500{\mu}g/kg/day$ and higher in females. The lesion was considered a toxicological change. Therefore, bone is the primary toxicological target of TS-DP2. The lowest observed adverse effect level (LOAEL) in males was $250{\mu}g/kg/day$, and no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) in females was $250{\mu}g/kg/day$ in this study. In the toxicokinetic study, the serum concentrations of G-CSF were maintained until 8 hr after administration. The systemic exposures ($AUC_{0-24h}$ and $C_0$) were not markedly different between male and female rats, between the administration periods, or between TS-DP2 and lenograstim. In conclusion, TS-DP2 shows toxicological similarity to lenograstim over 4-weeks of repeated doses in rats.